Muslim Council of Elders

What Muslim Council of Elders does

The Muslim Council of Elders is an autonomous, non-profit international organization founded in Abu Dhabi on July 19, 2014, that operates under the chairmanship of His Eminence Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, with Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam serving as Secretary-General. Its stated mission is to promote interfaith dialogue, peacebuilding, and the values of human fraternity through the convening of religious leaders, scholars, and international institutions. The core 'products' are flagship documents (Document on Human Fraternity, 2019; Call for the People of Qiblah, 2025; 20 Principles Charter; Abu Dhabi Interfaith Statement on Climate Change), high-profile conferences and forums (Bahrain Dialogue Forum, COP28 Faith Pavilion, Intra-Islamic Dialogue Conference, G20 Interfaith Forum), and book fair pavilions across the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. The organization reports engagement across 54 countries, 9 denominations, 70+ organizations, and 360+ speakers at its largest convening event.

The business model is institutional patronage rather than commercial revenue. The council is funded by the UAE government and does not generate commercial revenue from its dialogue outputs, publications, or events. Its 'go-to-market' is diplomatic and religious-network access — leveraging the personal standing of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, formal partnerships with the Vatican, the Bahraini monarchy, the UN, and G20 institutions, and a global multi-faith scholar network. Reach is amplified through co-organizing major international events (COP28, G20 Interfaith Forum) and operating cultural pavilions at international book fairs, which provide recurring access to dense, pre-qualified audiences. With 24 employees, the organization operates with high leverage relative to its event and convening output.

Recent strategic direction indicates a deliberate expansion of the council's mandate into adjacent domains. The 2026 AI for Good Summit and Geneva Dialogue on AI Governance, in partnership with Globethics, mark an entry into technology-ethics convening, positioning the council as a religious-voice stakeholder in AI governance rather than as a technology builder. This complements the council's earlier expansion into climate (COP28 Faith Pavilion) and intra-Islamic reconciliation (Call for the People of Qiblah), signaling a broadening of the dialogue agenda beyond traditional interfaith engagement into global policy domains where religious authority carries diplomatic weight.

Name

Muslim Council of Elders

Legal name

Muslim Council of Elders

Website

https://muslim-elders.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Muslim Council of Elders is a UAE-based non-profit, founded in 2014 and chaired by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, that convenes religious leaders and international institutions to advance interfaith dialogue, peacebuilding, and human fraternity through flagship documents, conferences, and book fair pavilions globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Interfaith Dialogue and Peacebuilding

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Interfaith & Ecumenical Councils and Dialogue Organizations (BPAGAJAJ)

Keywords

• Interfaith dialogue
• Peacebuilding initiatives
• Religious diplomacy
• Human fraternity
• Intra-Islamic dialogue

Headquarters

HQ city

Abu Dhabi

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding: The Muslim Council of Elders is an autonomous international organization funded primarily by the UAE government and institutional support. The organization was founded in Abu Dhabi and operates under the patronage of UAE leadership (His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE). No commercial revenue model exists.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Muslim Council of Elders is an autonomous international non-profit organization that produces landmark interfaith documents, organizes peacebuilding conferences and forums, and operates structured initiatives to promote coexistence, human fraternity, and religious tolerance. It also publishes books, video content, and policy statements addressing global ethical issues including climate change, AI governance, and human rights.

Product overview

The Muslim Council of Elders is an autonomous international organization focused on fostering peace, dialogue, tolerance, and human coexistence across Muslim and non-Muslim communities. The organization's primary offerings consist of landmark interfaith documents (including the Document on Human Fraternity signed with Pope Francis in 2019 and the Call for the People of Qiblah from 2025), content series such as the Imam Al-Tayeb Program, and participation in global events including the Faith Pavilion at COP28. The Council organizes conferences (Global Conference of Human Fraternity, Bahrain Dialogue Forum, Intra-Islamic Dialogue Conference), operates youth engagement through the Peacemakers Initiative, and conducts peace convoys and East-West Dialogue programs. Its publications include books, statements, and the Media Code of Ethics for Human Fraternity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Document on Human Fraternity A landmark interfaith declaration on human fraternity and peaceful coexistence, co-signed with Pope Francis in Abu Dhabi. Intended for global religious leaders, policymakers, and the public as a foundational reference for interfaith cooperation.
• Call for the People of Qiblah A public call addressed to Muslim communities worldwide to promote unity, end sectarian violence, and strengthen intra-Islamic solidarity.
• The 20 Principles Charter A charter of 20 principles for promoting peace, coexistence, and countering extremism, directed at Muslim communities and religious institutions.
• Call of Conscience (Abu Dhabi Interfaith Statement on Climate Change) A joint interfaith declaration on climate change, positioning religious communities as moral actors in climate action and environmental stewardship.
• Imam Al-Tayeb Program A video series featuring the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar addressing religious, social, and ethical issues for global Muslim and interfaith audiences.
• Youth Peacemakers Initiative A training and engagement program designed to empower young Muslim and interfaith leaders to become peacebuilders within their communities.
• Peace Convoys A multi-city initiative bringing interfaith peace messages and community engagement events to diverse geographic locations.
• East-West Dialogue Initiative A structured initiative promoting dialogue and understanding between Eastern and Western civilizations through conferences, joint research, and cultural exchange.
• Zayed Award for Human Fraternity An international award recognizing individuals and institutions advancing human fraternity and peaceful coexistence, named after the founding father of the UAE.
• The Grand Imam and The Pope - A Thorny Path (Book) A published book documenting the relationship, dialogue, and joint initiatives between Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayeb and Pope Francis.

Quantifiable outcome

• The Faith Pavilion at COP28 generated approximately 4,000 articles published in 30 languages across 70 countries, accounting for 7% of total COP28 media coverage.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major, flagship and core.

• GlobethicsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2026The Muslim Council of Elders and Globethics launched the first-ever platform for dialogue between religious leaders and technology pioneers at the AI for Good Summit. This partnership engages religious authorities in AI ethics and governance discussions.
• G20 Interfaith Forum (IF20)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 August 2025The Muslim Council of Elders is co-organizing the G20 Interfaith Forum (IF20) in Cape Town, South Africa, August 10-14, 2025. The Forum unites religious leaders, civil society organizations, government officials, and scholars to explore collaborative solutions to global challenges under the theme 'Ubuntu in Action: Focusing on Marginalized Communities.'
• COP28 PresidencyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2023The Muslim Council of Elders partnered with the COP28 Presidency to organize the historic Faith Pavilion at the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai. This was the first time a Faith Pavilion was featured at a COP conference, bringing together religious leaders from multiple faiths to engage on climate action.
• UAE Ministry of Tolerance and CoexistencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2023The Council collaborates with the UAE Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence on organizing the Faith Pavilion at COP28 and other initiatives promoting interfaith dialogue and peaceful coexistence in the UAE and globally.
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2023The Council partnered with UNEP to organize the Faith Pavilion at COP28, providing a platform for religious leaders to contribute to global climate discourse and solutions.
• Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (Bahrain)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2022The Council partnered with Bahrain's Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs to co-organize the Bahrain Dialogue Forum (East and West for Human Coexistence, November 2022) and the Intra-Islamic Dialogue Conference (February 2025).
• Catholic Church (Vatican)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2019The Muslim Council of Elders (under Chairman Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb) and the Catholic Church (under Pope Francis) signed the historic Document on Human Fraternity in Abu Dhabi on February 4, 2019. This landmark agreement promotes peace, tolerance, and human coexistence between Muslims and Christians worldwide. The partnership represents a unique interfaith alliance between two of the world's largest religious communities.
• Al-Azhar Al-SharifcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAl-Azhar Al-Sharif is the institutional home of the Muslim Council of Elders. The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, serves as Chairman of the Council. Al-Azhar provides scholarly authority and institutional infrastructure for the Council's initiatives including the Document on Human Fraternity, Intra-Islamic Dialogue initiatives, and global conferences.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Al-Azhar Al-Sharif: Al-Azhar is the institutional home of the Muslim Council of Elders and its Chairman's institution. Comparability is direct: both are Sunni Islamic authorities producing religious guidance and interfaith dialogue, with the Council effectively functioning as Al-Azhar's international diplomatic extension.
• Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (Vatican): The Vatican's primary office for interfaith engagement is the Muslim Council of Elders' flagship counterpart on the Christian side. The two bodies co-produced the Document on Human Fraternity and regularly convene at the highest level, making them the most naturally paired interfaith dialogue institutions globally.
• King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID): KAICIID is an intergovernmental interfaith dialogue center founded under Saudi-Austrian-Spanish-Vatican sponsorship. It operates in the same niche of producing high-level interfaith convenings and governance frameworks, making it the most comparable multilateral peer to the Muslim Council of Elders.
• Religions for Peace: Religions for Peace is a global multi-religious coalition with UN consultative status that convenes religious leaders around peace, conflict resolution, and sustainable development. Its convening model and target audience (senior religious leaders engaging global governance) directly mirror the Council's approach.
• World Council of Churches: The WCC is a global Christian ecumenical body that engages in interreligious dialogue and produces multilateral faith-based policy positions. Comparable to the Council in its role as a faith-tradition-wide institution operating in the interfaith and global governance space.
• Parliament of the World's Religions: The Parliament convenes the world's religious communities around shared ethical commitments and produced the 1993 Declaration toward a Global Ethic. Its worldwide interfaith convening model and document-producing tradition make it a direct functional peer to the Muslim Council of Elders.
• Bahá'í International Community: The Bahá'í International Community is a recognized NGO with UN consultative status that actively engages in interfaith dialogue and produces global discourse on unity and human fraternity. Its work on religion's role in global governance is directly comparable to the Council's advocacy positioning.

Emerging players

• International Council of Christians and Jews: ICCJ is a specialized organization focused specifically on Christian-Jewish relations and dialogue. It is a partial-overlap peer that operates in the same interfaith methodology niche but with a narrower religious dyad than the Council's broader intra-Islamic and Muslim-Christian mandate.
• United Religions Initiative: URI is a grassroots global interfaith cooperation network with presence in many countries. While more decentralized and grassroots-focused than the Council, it operates in the same interfaith peacebuilding space and shares the same target population of religious leaders and communities.
• Arigatou International: Arigatou International works at the intersection of interfaith cooperation, ethics education, and children's/youth peacebuilding. It overlaps with the Council's Youth Peacemakers initiative and interfaith convening methods, making it a thematic peer in the faith-based peacebuilding niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Muslim Council of Elders